The liturgy is patterned after the directives of Saint Gregory the Illuminator, founder and patron saint of The Armenian Church. Unlike the Byzantine Church, churches of the Armenian rite are usually devoid of icons and have a curtain concealing the priest and the altar from the people during parts of the liturgy, an influence from early apostolic times. The use of bishop's miter and of unleavened bread, is reminiscent of the influence Western missionaries once had upon both the miaphysite Orthodox Armenians as well as upon the Armenian Rite Catholics.